Once I realized my mother was too busy swooning over the man beside her than to ask how my week had been going, I sighed. “So, George, do you work with my mother?”
He looked over at her and smiled. “No, we met at the prison when she was bringing in some scumbag. I’m a guard there. The prisoner tried to cop a feel from your mother and I stepped in. She felt she owed me for my help, so she agreed to have coffee with me after our shift.”
“I did not feel obligated.” My mother giggled, pulling his hand into hers. “I had been secretly eyeing you for a while.”
I felt a small wave of repulsion hit me as I watched my mother nuzzle her nose with his. I swallowed, looking anywhere but across the table. Mom used to date when I was younger, but none of the men ever lasted long and thanks to my grandfather and his shotgun, they rarely got to know me. By the time I was a teenager she had stopped dating altogether, her sadness undeniable. She just gave up on finding the right guy.
“So, you work at the prison? Must be an interesting job.” What was I supposed to talk about? I had no clue what else to ask. Luckily, the waitress finally decided to stroll over, taking her sweet time. My mother leaned over, planting a long, lingering kiss on his lips.
I made a face and muttered. “I’ll take a vodka, straight.”
It was just past noon and I rarely drank liquor, but I was going to need it if I was expected to endure any more of my mother’s touchy feely, happy couple time with a stranger. I wanted her to be happy, I really did, but preferably in the privacy of her own home, not on the one day we were supposed to spend bonding.
“Vodka?” My mother cut in, insulted, then looked up to the elderly waitress. “She’s kidding, bring her a Coke.”
I rolled my eyes, then met my mother’s disapproving glare. I never felt more like a child as I looked up at the waitress and nodded for the Coke. I let out a heavy sigh, holding up the menu to block my sight.
“I hope you don’t mind me coming along today, Cassandra,” George finally said.
“No, not at all. We were just going to spend the day at the salon and then a movie. Hope you don’t mind chic flicks.” I peeked over my menu, hoping he would take a hint.
“Actually, George and I wanted to have lunch and then the movie. I need to skip the salon today, honey. We um…sort of made plans for tonight.” She looked up at me, her eyes pleading for me to understand and let her off the hook.
My menu dropped from my hands, smacking on the table. “What? But you’re leaving tomorrow for your cruise.” My voice grew an octave higher, full of frustration and hurt.
Her expression softened. “I know and that’s why we made plans tonight. George is going with me. We were going to stay at a hotel closer to the airport tonight so you wouldn’t have to drive me so early in the morning,” she explained, offering me an apologetic smile.
I blew out a deep breath, looking away from both of them, choosing not to think about what was going to take place in said hotel room. I didn’t want to ruin their time together. My mother deserved to be happy.
“Yeah, no problem.” I caved. “I’m glad you’ll be going with her.” I looked at George and gave him a friendly smile.
“Thank you, Cassandra. I hope we can spend more time together after the holidays. Your mother is quite the lady; I plan on sticking around as long as she’ll have me.” George’s voice was optimistic, which brought a genuine smile to my face.
I sat there listening to them fill me in on their brief time together while I picked at a large chef’s salad. Every time my mother giggled, I was filled with too much happiness for her to be truly annoyed.
George pulled out his wallet to pay after the waitress dropped off the bill.
“No, let me get this,” Mom cut in, grabbing her purse.
“Felicia, I’ve told you already, I enjoy spending my money on my honey.”
I chuckled and then excused myself to the restroom, not needing to watch their playful banter.
As I walked past the bar, I heard the familiar husky voice hum through me.
“I am not asking this time. It’s important, damn it, Julia!” Logan growled into his phone.
I detoured toward him and took the seat next to his at the bar. I smiled when he looked up from his burger and fries. His hard features softened, his lips curling up into a broad smile as he took me in.
“Fine, go spend the weekend with your girlfriends, but I am rethinking your Christmas gift!” Logan slammed his phone down, took a deep breath, and then turned his stool to face me.
“To what do I owe this unexpected pleasure, sweetheart?”
“I’m having lunch with my mother and her new boyfriend.”
Logan’s brows rose at my tone.
“Boyfriend? Good for her.”
“Yeah, I know, but still a bit icky for me.” I pouted, snatching one of his fries.
“Icky? Such a childish word for an educated woman like yourself.” He chuckled, watching me roll my eyes.
“So what were you yelling at your sister for? Let me guess, she stole your credit card before jetting off on a luxurious shopping spree in Paris?”
“Not quite. I have an important business meeting tonight out of town and she just called to let me know she was half way to Hawaii for the weekend. My sister can be quite fickle at times.”
“She’s young.”
“She’s a pest, but I do love her, so now I have to find a babysitter last minute.”
“I told you, you should consider getting a nanny.” I grabbed the ketchup and popped the lid, pouring a little on his plate, then stole another fry, dunking it once and tossing it in my mouth.
“You know I don’t trust just anyone with Oliver.” He watched me take over his plate, amused. “Please, help yourself, sweetheart.” He chuckled as I grabbed yet another fry, coating it in the ketchup.
“Sorry, I had a salad. I’m still hungry.” I plopped it in my mouth then pushed his plate closer to his chest, holding my hands up that I was done. They were yummy but a bit salty. My eyes flickered to his soda then up at him.
Logan grinned. “As I said, help yourself.” He handed me the glass.
“Thanks.” I brought it to my lips and took a long sip. Ice cold lemonade. I sighed, savoring the freshness in the cold of winter. My eyes caught his and I swallowed, loudly. He was watching me. Staring at me with his head slightly tilted to the side. His casual expression hardening to something primal and raw.
I had shared drinks with plenty of boys before, but it never felt like this. My stomach clenched, feelings awakening, sending a heat wave straight through me. It was such an innocent action between friends, but between Logan and me, it felt intimate.
I pulled my gaze away, took another sip and swallowed before setting the glass back in front of his plate. “I can watch him,” I said, breaking the thick tension hanging between us.
Logan inhaled a short breath, blinking a few times. He turned his stool back, facing the bar, and took a bite of his burger. Swallowing, he looked over at me with a cocked eyebrow.
“What? You don’t trust me because I stole a few fries? Geesh.” I laughed and punched him lightly in the arm.
Logan grinned as he playfully shrugged. “I wouldn’t want to interrupt your time with your mother’s new beau.”
“Oh, please interrupt.” I gripped his forearm. “I am begging you to interrupt!”
Logan laughed. He picked up his drink and took a small sip, his lips covering the lipstick mark I left behind. I shuddered, heat scorching my cheeks. Placing it back down, he tilted his head to peer over at me.
“I’ll drop him off at your house in an hour.”
“Great, I’ll head home and dig out some board games and movies. What time will you be picking him up?” I asked, jumping down from the stool.
“It will be late. After midnight. Will that be all right? I have to take a private plane to New York for the meeting.”
“No problem. I’ll see you and Oliver soon.”
I smiled
, snatching one last fry with a quick wink, before turning away and heading back to my table, no longer needing to lurk around the restroom waiting for time to pass.
“Ready?” My mother asked, standing from the booth as I approached.
“Change of plans. I have to babysit for a friend. Why don’t you guys catch a movie and we’ll get together when you get back from your cruise.” I grabbed my coat and purse from the booth.
“Oh, all right.” My mother stood there dumbfounded while I gave her a quick hug and then a small smile to George before heading out the door.
I had never been so thrilled to babysit in my life. But anything would be better than sitting through an entire movie, in the dark, with my mother and George.
Chapter Twenty-One
Puppy Love
I looked nervously around my living room realizing every board game I owned was labeled twelve and up. This was not going to be as easy as I assumed. I hung out with Oliver often, but not all day and night.
With a defeated sigh, I slumped down on the couch and pulled out my phone, quickly pressing a number from my favorites list.
“Hello,” Hilary answered in her usual cheerful voice.
“Hey, I need your help,” I said, shifting and tossing my feet up on the other side of the couch as I stretched out. “I’m babysitting Oliver in like twenty minutes and have no idea what to do with him all day. Logan said he won’t be back till after midnight.”
“I thought you were spending today with your mother?”
“Yeah, I’ll tell you all about that later.” I chuckled. “So, any helpful suggestions with Oliver?”
“It’s your lucky day, Miss Cassandra.” Her voice sang. “The town’s annual Christmas in the Park starts at three.”
I sat up a little, hopeful. “Any idea what they’re showing this year?”
“Kids classics like every year, until sunset.”
“Perfect.” I grinned, relieved. “You want to meet us there?”
“Only if I can ask Caleb to join us.”
“Yeah, of course. I talked with him, we’re all good.”
I had met with Caleb a couple days after he showed up at my door with Hilary. His constant apologizing texts were too much to take, so I met him for lunch at Haven. After a nice meal, and a few minutes scolding him for hiring a psychopath, we hugged it out. It was impossible to stay mad at him for long, especially when he genuinely was full of concern and regret.
With a quick good-bye to Hilary, after agreeing to meet up by the fountain, I hung up and tossed my phone across the couch. A second later, there was a knock on my door.
Perfect timing. I stopped at the small mirror in the foyer, and did a quick check, running my hands through my hair. It was only Logan, I reminded myself as I grabbed the handle and opened the door.
My smile faltered when I found a gangly teenager, with spiky bright-red hair, standing on my welcome mat. Looking him over, my eyebrows pulling in, I noticed a large box at his feet. The bright-blue shirt he wore featured the image of a frightening snake wrapped around text that was too worn to read.
“Are you Cassandra Clarke?” he asked, staring down at the clipboard in his hand.
“That’s me.” My eyes traveled from him to the box, curiously noticing the small holes on the sides.
“Awesome. Sign this.” He placed a giant X on the slip of paper, and then shoved the clipboard forward into my hands, followed by the pen.
I shot him an unimpressed eye-reprimand, before signing my name, to accept the package.
“Who’s it from?” I asked, handing it back to him.
“Don’t know, don’t care. Have a great day and wonderful holiday.” He saluted me with a forced but smug grin, before turning quickly on his heel.
I watched him climb back into his rusty old pickup and drive away with his stereo blasting some good old Ozzy.
I shook my head. “Rude much,” I grumbled, squatting down to pick up the box.
My hands gripped each side, about to lift it when the box shifted. Stumbling back, I stood there, unsure what to do. Obviously, it was some sort of animal, but who would get me that? Warily, I lifted my foot and very gently nudged the box hoping to hear a sweet meow or something other than a slithering hiss.
The box shifted again from side-to-side and I flinched back, inhaling a deep breath and blowing it out, with my hands resting on my hips.
Did I really want to open the box unsure who had sent it? Last thing I needed was to come face-to-face with a large snake or something worse. I knew I’d pissed Mackenzie off at the carnival when Logan walked away ignoring her, but that was almost three months ago.
“Problems, sweetheart?”
I looked up to meet the eye of a rather amused looking Logan.
“What’s that?” Oliver asked, squatting down to peek through one of the holes in the box.
“I have no idea, but I’m pretty sure it’s alive,” I replied, scrunching my nose at the white box.
Logan shook his head, chuckling at my childish behavior, then stepped forward and easily opened the top of the box.
“A puppy!” Oliver squealed.
The little chocolate Lab looked up at us with big brown eyes.
“A dog?” I breathed, semi relieved but still confused. Who would send a dog? I watched as Oliver pulled the puppy into his arms, cradling it like a baby.
The small puppy pawed at his chest and I instantly knew who it was from.
“My mom,” I murmured, a slow smile spreading over my lips.
“Your mother sent you a puppy?” Logan asked, smiling down at his son.
“My grandparents gave me a Lab a week after my father left us. He was hit by a car when I was sixteen.” I shuddered as I replayed the traumatic memory of saying good-bye to my faithful companion all those years ago.
“I’m sorry,” Logan said softly. “There’s a note.” He handed me the small piece of paper taped inside.
Thank you again for sending me on, what I am sure will be, the best vacation of my life. I wish I could be there with you on Christmas, but I saw this little guy in the pet shop downtown and knew he would put a smile on your face.
Not to mention, keep you safe.
I love you,
Mom
I looked up from the note, smiling.
“Well, looks like I’m a pet owner.” I chuckled softly, watching how sweet the little thing was with Oliver.
“Come on in,” I said, reaching down to grab the empty box but Logan was quicker. I smiled, letting him get it and went over to help Oliver up from the grass. Logan snatched up the dog with his other hand and followed me into the living room.
“I wanted to thank you again for helping me out tonight,” Logan said, placing the box by the door and handing the pup back to Oliver.
“No problem. Do you mind if I take Oliver downtown for the afternoon? They’re playing a marathon of Christmas cartoons until nightfall. Figured he might enjoy it.” I shrugged.
“Yes, he would like that. Wouldn’t you?”
Oliver was too occupied chasing the little guy around the living room to answer.
“Great!” I smiled.
“What are you going to name him?” Oliver asked.
“Oh, um.” I had never been any good at choosing pet names. I once had a cat that I would feed on the back porch when I was a child. I named her Kitty.
“Can I name him?” Oliver asked quickly. His pleading eyes were as big as the puppy’s and just as adorable.
“Oliver, I’m sure Cassandra would like to name him herself.”
“No, it’s fine,” I said giving Oliver a small smile. I sat down beside him on the floor and the puppy jumped into my lap. “So, what do you think we should name him?”
“How about, um…” Oliver stared down at him for a long moment contemplating before he finally looked back up with a giant grin.
“Stout.” Oliver said quickly.
“Stout?” I tried to repeat it as nicely as possible not wanting to hur
t his feelings for coming up with such a strange name.
“No! I said Scout,” Oliver whined, I gave an apologetic smile but between his young age and slight lisp I sometimes had trouble clearly understanding him.
“Scout,” Logan repeated trying out the name. The puppy jumped to his feet and turned to look up at Logan. “He seems to like it.”
I smiled, watching Logan bend down to rub the puppy’s back.
“Well, Scout it is then.”
“All right, I had better be going. Don’t want to be late. Be good for Cassandra.” Logan gave Oliver a quick hug and whispered in his ear.
“I love you, too, Daddy,” Oliver replied dropping back to the floor with Scout.
I walked with Logan to the front door and reached inside the small side table drawer.
“Here, it’s a key for when you come to pick him up tonight.”
A small smile played on his closed lips as his eyebrows rose staring straight at me. “You’re giving me a key to your house.” He took the key. “I must say, it seems you are rushing a bit for my taste, love. But if you insist.”
I smacked his arm playfully rolling my eyes.
“You said it would be after midnight, which means we’ll probably be asleep. Just come on in and wake me up.”
Logan slid the key into his inner coat pocket.
“Have a safe flight.”
“Take care of my son and yourself.” Logan waved good-bye to Oliver one last time before heading out the front door.
I turned back to Oliver and smiled, but it only took a second for me to realize I had no food for Scout.
“Do you want to take Scout with us to watch the movies?” I asked.
Oliver’s face lit up. No answer was necessary as he grabbed the puppy and raced to the door.
Oliver and I stood by the large fountain in the center of town waiting for Hilary. We had stopped at the pet store and picked up a navy-blue leash and everything else Scout could need. I hadn’t anticipated the rather large expense of owning such a little puppy. Although, Oliver had thrown a few too many chew toys into the shopping cart.